Thursday, February 16, 2017

Every once in a while, well okay really often, I come across something I can't wait to cast on my needles. The minute I saw the book Knitting Short Rows I knew I needle to knit the cover sweater called Buttonside Sweater.

The book interested me because it has patterns that use different techniques for knitting short rows. If you have ever knit short rows you may or may not know that each technique gives you a slightly different look. Often I look at books and there is only one sweater that I want to knit and in that case I check out Ravelry.com to see if I can purchase an individual pattern but when I looked at this book there were several patterns I loved so I knew I needed the book.

I was also happy to see that the sweater was knit in one of my personal favorite yarns, Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool. The yarn has a particular twist that gives a crape appearance to the knit fabric. Since I tend to knit loose I went down a size needle and I am working on a #4 instead of the size called for in the pattern but I am right on gauge

In checking the pattern size I decided that I was happy with the width but I think I want my sweater longer. I added a few rows to the armhole and I think I will add some rows to the body before I start the curved shaping to give me more lengths by added multiple of the 4 rows that make up the button bands. I am using locking marker to keep exact count of the rows I am knitting to that when I pick up for the front it will match the back.

The sweater construction is interesting since it starts with should saddles and then stitches are pick up and knit down. I read ahead and the side panels curve around and meet in the middle with an interesting join. It is a really fun knit.

To make this more fun I decided to challenge a friend to knit along with me. It is an inspiration to keep knitting and will ensure that we will both finish.

Here are some more pictures of my progress

Does anyone else want to join us? Would love to see a bunch of these WIP's up on the Patchwork Frog Facebook page.